Gutentag Berlin!

Trying to remain calm when our luggage did not arrive with us in Berlin, we became slightly more concerned when we arrived at the airport's "lost luggage" desk to find it had been permanently closed and replaced by a random 1-800 phone that didn't work.  With few options, we left the issue unresolved and headed into to the city to get settled, hopeful that our bags would arrive at some point.

The apartment we rented (at the corner of Wilhelmstrasse and Wilhelmstrasse!) was in the heart of Mitte and within walking distance to several key sights.

We had chosen this apartment in part because of the location and also because it had many amenities that are often rare to find in rentals - both a washing machine AND a dishwasher!   We were unfussed by the fact it didn't have air conditioning because, after looking at the monthly average temperatures, we figured we wouldn't need it.

This turned out to be a miscalculation.

Although our first week in Berlin saw frigid temperatures - people were wearing ski jackets and scarves - our second week saw the complete opposite. Berlin was in the 30s every day and even hit a record breaking 40+ day.   Go figure that this was one time when we were both absolutely swamped with work and needed to stay close to home!

Needless to say, by midday the top-floor apartment was roasting and we felt on the verge of heat exhaustion. When even the local Starbucks didn't offer the necessary refuge - open doors was simply not breezy enough for us - we found ourselves frequent visitors of the nearby Marriott hotel's cafe, ordering numerous cold drinks and enjoying the air conditioning while we typed away on our computers.

On the weekends, however, we managed to get out and enjoy some of the city.

Museum Island

Our first stop was the DDR Museum to learn more about the Communist way of life in East Berlin. We were lucky to have booked tickets online as when we arrived, the ticket line-up was around the block.  Note to Self:   When all shops are closed on Sundays, museums are sure to be packed!

The Museum was incredibly well put together, highlighting the different aspects of Eastern life in the city from jobs and wages, to consumer goods and fashion, to vacations (including the nudist holiday movement!) and the social scene, to home decor and eating habits and, of course, propaganda and politics.

Although crowded, the Museum provided a really great overview.  We were most surprised to learn that it wasn't that people couldn't afford to buy the latest gadgets, it was rather that the city had a prohibition on them.   Perhaps most disturbing was that children were taught to count and spell etc. using military weapons and phrases in order to instill at a young age the need to fight and be at war for their country.

Near to the Museum, we hopped on a Spree River Tour to see more of both East and West Berlin.

The tour passed by Museum Island  and then the site of the old Palace, which was torn down and replaced by the Palace of the Republic (a place for everyone) during the Communist era.  It was recently discovered that the new Palace was full of asbestos so it too has been torn down.

Getting out of the main tourist quarter, the residential East side of Berlin sported a number of riverside "hole in the ground" bars as well as many recently-built luxury condos.  This has caused some controversy in the area as many artists and less affluent people are being pushed out and forced to relocate further away from the city center.

The new buildings in the East are unusual and cutting-edge, with many successfully embracing the blend of old and new design approaches.  Sculptures also line the water, as does the longest section of the remaining Berlin Wall.  

Much of the land abutting the waterway has remained parkland, attracting lots of locals and tourists who come to stroll or cycle along the water and pull up some grass to lounge in the sunshine.  

The Western side of Berlin also feels quite new, offering a modern parliament complex, including the Reichstag, with its new glass dome.  Although Beth tried to go and climb the Dome one day, she received a troubling email the morning of her visit to say her ticket had  been cancelled.   She tries not to think about why this was the case.

  

People had recommend that taking a boat tour provides the best overview of the city and we agree - it was awesome to see the unusual and attractive architecture and get a better sense of the different communities as we sailed from one part of the river to the next.